Strengths
by Draconicality
Summary: What does Takuya feel, responsible for his friends' lives as he is? [One-shot. KouKou, mild TakuKou.]


Dedicated to Akuma-chan, because she got me re-hooked on Frontier and KouKou in the first place. XD

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**Strengths**

Takuya sees it all; how Kouji and Kouichi chase each other ahead of the group with mock-threats and identical smiles.  It's a playful display, and heartening to watch after so much fighting, so much battle, so much of their youth taken away early, by accepting the spirits of the Chosen Ten.  

For them, he remembers again, no place in the Digiworld is safe.  He opens his mouth to call the twins back, and stops.  The sun is shining, the air is fresh, only birdsong and laughter fills the air.  Best of all, his danger sense isn't prickling the way it does so much these days, and the countryside they roam is free of possibly threatening-looking monsters.

Because he is leader, he lets them go, and one of those ever-rarer smiles blooms on his face like a flower in spring.

=-=-=-=-=

It's not that Kouji terribly minds losing his jacket.  It's just a convenient excuse to pursue his twin, to unleash the giggles that explode from his mouth.  Long-limbed, gangly Kouichi waves the disputed article of clothing almost within his reach, darting backwards as he snatches for it.  Kouji sticks out his tongue as his hands close on empty air, and the other boy's happiness grows with the childish sweetness of the gesture.

Of course, everything has to end sometime. 

Kouichi stops, feeling the solid ground fall away beneath his foot.  Off – balance as he is, he is unprepared for Kouji's sudden tackle.  Both teens find themselves rolling down a shallow incline.  

When the world stops reeling, Kouji finds the jacket wrapped around his head.  Barely a foot away, his twin is still guffawing over their little adventure.  He reaches over and pokes him in the ribs, Kouichi laughing himself breathless as the fight for the forgotten jacket turns into an all-out tickle war.  

When the others come upon them just a little while later, it's still impossible to tell exactly who's won.  From the sparkle in both boys' eyes, it doesn't seem to matter.

=-=-=-=-=

Takuya wonders what his part in all this is.  He knows that if asked, no one will acknowledge him as the head of their group; even if they did, they'd admit he wasn't the best choice.  His decisions are always the ones most likely to land them in trouble.

Yet, they still follow him.  Respect those same decisions.  Albeit with a lot of grumbling.  Questioning why they do so is pointless and useless, because they do it without a true conscious reason.

He just prays every day that whatever force it is that lines them up behind him, it is not misplaced, because the young brunette would rather give himself up than see any of their group lost.

Little Tomoki and the guilt he feels over former selfishness.  Bright, gentle, naïve Izumi.  Sturdy, loyal, rash Junpei.  The three diminutive Digimon.

The twins.  Ying and yang, he thinks, while his face calms in bemusement.  Light and dark.  They draw strength from each other, and Kouji no longer needs to draw strength from him as he used to.

For a little while, Takuya supposes, he had loved Kouji, and Kouji had loved him back.   

And Fire had burned him clean, clean enough to truly be of the Light.  Clean enough to leave him, to be the parallel and partner of his twin, who really is the most contradictory 'darkness' Takuya has ever seen.

Brothers.  He was taught that was wrong, but when he sees them he realizes that in this case it is right, more right than anything.

Takuys slaps his forehead, to stop himself from waxing any more poetic.  Izumi looks at him curiously, but then Patamon says something that catches her attention and her gaze and thoughts leave him.

Because he is leader, he allows it to pass him by, and appreciates the happiness that his friends would share with him.

=-=-=-=-=

Kouji's sleep is restless as usual, and it brings his twin awake in a matter of minutes.  Though, like most nights, the long-haired boy is soothed by a slim hand combing through his hair, Kouichi won't get back to peaceful slumber quite as easily.  He looks around – Junpei is the cause of all the snoring, with an oddly undisturbed blonde form under his protective arm.  

"Hey."  The slim boy is leaning against one of the small trees they've taken shelter among, sitting casually next to a sleeping pile of Digimon and little brown-haired child.

"You're up late, Takuya."  
  
"I was keeping watch."

"Want me to take a turn?"

The brunette glances at Kouichi's face, then down to Kouji.  "Nah, s'okay.  I don't think I want to sleep just yet."

"Don't kill yourself for us, okay?"  It's half a joke and half sincerity.

Takuya just smiles.  "Don't lose any more sleep than you need to."

Kouichi lies back down, snuggling into the heat of his brother's body and closing his eyes.  Sharp ears pick up the rustle as Takuya gets up and brushes himself off.

"Kouichi."

"Hm?"

"Take care of him, please."

He could give a scornful reply to that, but the other boy's voice is so incredibly _sincere. _

"I promise."

=-=-=-=-=

Because he is leader, that is all Takuya can ask for.  Someday, he hopes, there'll be someone who can properly tell him what to do.

The night wears on, unaware of the young stories that continue unraveling in its grasp.

_owari___

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A/N: This was partially based on an RP with Akuma-chan.  Face it, if you're a Frontier-yaoi fan you gotta write KouKou sometime.  They're just too cute together. =3  And…Takuya.  He may be kinda whiny, but he's also rather endearing.  And he's probably smarter than he seems on the screen.  So, I refuse to make him act/look/sound stupid here.  There has to be more than just bone in that head.

Don't know if there will be any more fics forthcoming from me in this genre.  *sighs, waves and goes back to the TV* C&C is greatly appreciated.  Thanks for reading! :)


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